Micariabasaliducta, Booysen & Haddad, 2021

Booysen, Ruan & Haddad, Charles R., 2021, Revision and molecular phylogeny of the spider genus Micaria Westring, 1851 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) in the Afrotropical Region, Zootaxa 4940 (1), pp. 1-82 : 28-29

Micariabasaliducta sp. nov.

Figs 9–10 , 55 , 65 , 109–112

Type material: Holotype: ♀, SOUTHAFRICA: Western Cape: Beaufort West, Farm Eerste Water, Karoo , Area 2, Site 2, pitfalltraps, 32°40.26’S, 22°56.1’E, leg. D.H. Jacobs, 6.XII.2007 (NCA 2008/4704).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Beaufort West, same data as holotype, 3 ♂ (NCA 2008/4704); Farm Kraanvogelfontein, Karoo , Area 2, Site 3, 32°32.4’S, 22°59.04’E, leg. D.H. Jacobs, 9.XII.2007, 4 ♂ (NCA 2008/4755) .

Etymology. The species name is a combination of the Latin adjective basalis (base) and the word ductus (ducts), referring to the basal accessory glands on the copulatory ducts of the female.

Diagnosis. Females of this species can be distinguished from other Afrotropical Micaria in possessing a basal accessory gland on the copulatory duct close to the spermathecae. The copulatory duct is also elongate and extends above the anterior hood, with a curved apex ( Figs 109, 110 ). Similar species like M. beaufortia lack the accessory glands and have a widely separated anterior hood. The males can be distinguished by having a large and ventrally facing median apophysis posterior to the embolus, retrolaterally off–centre on the tegulum. The embolus is also large and slanting retrolaterally posterior to four ventral terminal spines on the cymbium ( Fig. 111 ).

Description. Female (holotype from Beaufort West, NCA 2008/4704): Measurements: TL 2.70, CL 0.95, CW 0.60, CL:CW 1.58, CLH 0.04, CLH:AME 0.83. Eyes: ALE 0.05, AME 0.05, PLE 0.07, PME 0.04, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.05, MOQAW 0.11, MOQPW 0.13, MOQL 0.14. SL 0.54, SW 0.43, AL 1.53, AW 1.00. Leg measurements: Palpal segment length: 0.24, 0.14, 0.14, 0.25. Leg I: 0.58, 0.28, 0.46, 0.33, 0.41. II: 0.53, 0.25, 0.44, 0.37, 0.43. III: 0.49, 0.24, 0.37, 0.40, 0.32. IV: 0.68, 0.27, 0.64, 0.67, 0.41. TLoflegs (I–IV): 2.06, 2.02, 1.82, 2.67; leg formula: 4123.

Colouration: carapace and abdomen dark brown; sternum, endites, labium and chelicerae similar in colour to carapace; all legs with femora darker than rest of leg ( Fig. 9 ). Carapace: decorated with squamose setae; smooth in texture; pattern indistinct; posterior margin mostly straight, with very shallow indentation in middle; fovea absent; anterior margin of carapace narrowing slightly from coxa I; PER procurved in dorsal view, AER recurved in anterior view. Chelicerae: decorated with plumose setae. Labium: triangular in shape; tuft of setae is present at tip.

Endites: oblique; constricted just above halfway; anterior margin flattened; cluster of setae present on inner–apical margin. Sternum: shield-like; broadest between coxa Iand II; posterior margin tapered with broad rounded tip behind coxa IV. Legs: femora of all legs laterally flattened, highest at base, leg Imore pronounced in this fashion; rest of leg normal, thin. Leg macrosetae: Palps: 1pl, 1do, 1pl, 1pl, 1plv, 3vt. Leg I: 1do, 1pl. II: 1d. III: 1do, 1pl, 1vt, 2vt. IV: 1do, 1plv, 2vt, 1plv, 3vt. Legs with four rows of scopulate setae on metatarsi and tarsi. Abdomen: cylindrical in shape; decorated with squamose setae; dorsal pattern not visible; venter similar in colour to dorsum; sigilla not visible. Epigyne: in ventral view, anterior hood divided with curved sclerites; posterior pockets present posterior to spermathecae; copulatory opening located at apex of copulatory duct. In dorsal view, copulatory ducts elongate and extend medially, curved at apex; accessory glands present on basal third of copulatory duct; fertilisation ducts curved, present medially on spermathecae; spermathecae globular, slightly more elongate horizontally ( Figs 109, 110 ).

Male (paratype from Beaufort West, NCA 2008/4755): Measurements: TL 1.98, CL 0.90, CW 0.63, CL:CW 1.43, CLH 0.06, CLH:AME 1.4. Eyes: ALE 0.05, AME 0.04, PLE 0.06, PME 0.05, AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.05, MOQAW 0.12, MOQPW 0.15, MOQL 0.15. SL 0.57, SW 0.40, AL 0.98, AW 0.64. Leg measurements: Palpal segment lengths: 0.27, 0.14, 0.14, 0.29. Leg I: 0.57, 0.30, 0.48, 0.38, 0.40. II: 0.56, 0.24, 0.41, 0.37, 0.37. III: 0.44, 0.21, 0.34, 0.37, 0.30. IV: 0.52, 0.21, 0.46, 0.51, 0.41. TLoflegs (I–IV): 2.13, 1.95, 1.66, 2.11; leg formula: 1423 .

Colouration: carapace and abdomen dark brown; sternum, endites, labium and chelicerae similar in colour to carapace; legs with femora slightly darkened ( Fig. 10 ). Carapace: decorated with squamose setae; smooth in texture; pattern indistinct; posterior margin rounded; anterior margin of carapace narrowing slightly from coxa I; fovea absent; PER procurved in dorsal view; AER recurved in anterior view. Chelicerae: decorated with plumose setae. Labium: triangular in shape; tuft of setae present on tip. Endites: oblique; constricted just above halfway; anterior margin flattened; cluster of setae present on inner–apical margin. Sternum: shield-like; broadest between coxa Iand II; posterior margin tapered broadly, rounded behind coxa IV. Legs: femora laterally flattened, highest at base, leg Imore pronounced in this fashion; rest of leg normal, thin. Leg macrosetae: Palps: 1pl, 1pl, 2plv, 2vt. Leg I: 1do, 1pl. II: 1d. III: 1do, 1plv, 2vt, 1pl, 1plv, 2vt. IV: 2do, 1plv, 2vt, 2plv, 2vt. Legs with four rows of scopulate setae on metatarsi and tarsi. Abdomen: cylindrical in shape; decorated with brachiate setae; dorsal pattern not visible, but white vertical stripe may be present antero-laterally; venter similar in colour to dorsum; sigilla not visible.

Palp: RTA present on retrolateral margin; median apophysis present medially, below embolus with MA facing prolaterally; four ventral–terminal spines (three long and one short) present anterior to tegulum; sperm duct present prolaterally on tegulum, curved basally; embolus moderately broad, elongate base; embolus slanted retrolaterally; cymbial tip extends approximately one–third of cymbium’s length above tegulum ( Figs 111, 112 ).

Distribution. Micaria basaliducta sp. nov. is known from only two localities near Beaufort West, South Africa. ( Map 1 ).

Figures

MAP 1. The distribution of Micaria basaliducta sp. nov. (black circles) and M. beaufortia (Tucker, 1923) (red stars) in the Afrotropical Region.

FIGURES 9–17. Stereomicroscope photographs of the dorsal habitus ofAfrotropical Micaria species: 9 M. basaliducta sp. nov. female and 10 male; 11 M. beaufortia (Tucker, 1923) female and 12 male; 13 M. bimaculata sp. nov. female and 14 male; 15 M. bispicula sp. nov. female and 16 male; 17 M. chrysis (Simon, 1910) female. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 55–60. Scanning electron microscope images of the lyriform organs of Micaria: 55 M. basaliducta sp. nov. male, patella I; 56 M. beaufortia (Tucker, 1923) female, tarsus I; 57 M. bispicula sp. nov. male, patella I; 58 M. chrysis (Simon, 1910) male, patella I; 59 M. durbana sp. nov. female, patella IV; 60 M. felix sp. nov. male palpal patella. Abbreviation: LO—lyriform organ.

FIGURES 65–71. Scanning electron microscope images of the lanceolate setae of Micaria: 65 M. basaliducta sp. nov. male, patella I; 66 M. beaufortia (Tucker, 1923) male, palpal tibia; 67 M. bispicula sp. nov. male, patella I; 68 M. koingnaas sp. nov. male, femur I; 69 M. parvotibialis sp. nov. male, tarsus IV; 70 M. plana sp. nov. male, patella I; 71 M. quadrata sp. nov. female, femur IV. Abbreviation: LS—lanceolate setae.

FIGURES 109–112. Genital morphology of Micaria basaliducta sp. nov.: 109 female epigyne, ventral view; 110 same, dorsal view; 111 male palp, ventral view; 112 same, retrolateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.